Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 448

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 448
Fire. The Damage from the Rift
“…How insolent.”
It was Prince Jin’s murmur that broke the silence. The boy clutched a handful of documents in his hand, then drew a measured breath as if restraining his fury.
Xiaoxi, noticing the Prince’s unusual shift in demeanor, tried to step closer, but Jin cut him off with a sharp shake of his head.
“Minister Ian Hielo serves Bariel within the Bariel Imperial Palace, and for Bariel’s sake. He draws his salary from the imperial treasury, which means his master is Bariel—and by extension, the Imperial House itself. How dare you invoke some mere merchant lord to insult him? Is this Burgos’s choice?”
As long as Ian held the position of Minister, his master was the Imperial House. More precisely, within the Imperial House, one could say his master was Jin Berosion himself. Yet despite this, not only did they refer to Rutherford as his master before the Prince, but they dared spout nonsense about serving and attending to him.
Without realizing it, Jin clenched his teeth and rose from his seat. A scorching fury rippled across his clear blue eyes. Already troubled by Ian’s repeated attempts to leave the palace, Burgos’s statement had crossed the line.
“Envoy Representative Bania. I ask you one final time. Is this Burgos’s choice?”
“…Prince Jin. I used the truth serum exactly as the Imperial Palace desired. Did you not agree to ask nothing beyond confirming my existence?”
Was the promise of the great empire Bariel truly so light? Bania raised her hand to show her grievance, and the Burgos delegation behind her simultaneously assumed imperial court etiquette to soothe the Prince’s anger.
It was Ian who added words to this.
“Your Highness. I humbly beg your pardon. Please do not judge the rights and wrongs of her words, and grant us your mercy.”
“Count Ian! Did you not hear correctly? Did she not say Rutherford is your master?”
“That is truth within her universe. The truth serum does not reveal objective truth—it merely allows one to glimpse the inner depths of an individual’s mind.”
A subtle negation. Ian was telling the Prince that this was merely Bania’s one-sided claim.
It is true that I was involved in the creation of Idgal, and it is true that I made some contract at that time. But what matters is that what exists in this world now is not the Idgal creator—it is Emperor Ian.
Please, just calm down a little. I nodded sharply at the boy, urging him to compose himself, and turned to face Bania.
‘She knows I’m bound to something. Whether Rutherford gave her this weapon to shake the palace, or whether all of his people know this, I cannot say. But she clearly understands the contract in detail. If I play this right, I might extract information.’
“Envoy Representative Bania.”
“Yes, Minister Ian Hielo.”
“When you say you are Rutherford’s person, it means the envoy representative has fallen into Rutherford’s grasp. In other words, it suggests that the majority of Burgos’s ruling class is connected to Rutherford. Do you acknowledge this?”
“…”
Since there was no obligation to answer that part, Bania chose selective silence. I, in turn, approached her as if welcoming the response.
“And depending on the envoy’s stance, King Damon—whose lifeline sways left and right—also appears to be in Rutherford’s grasp.”
“Burgos has fallen into crisis due to war. The various large and small forces that normally traded with the nation have no choice but to focus their attention. Rutherford is merely one of them.”
“The nuance is strange. Anyone listening would think you are the victims.”
“Indeed. Please correct that statement—from Cliffford’s perspective, what you just said is deeply offensive!”
The Cliffford delegation, which had been listening quietly, strongly protested upon hearing Bania’s words. The Prime Minister raised his staff, signaling them to please remain silent, and they had no choice but to bite their lips.
“In any case, the fact that Rutherford is now involved in Burgos means you acknowledge it. Envoy Representative Bania. That is how I interpret it.”
Instead of answering, Bania glanced at Ian and the Prince’s side. The Imperial House’s reaction was calmer than expected. No one besides the Prince showed an intense reaction to the revelation that they serve Rutherford as their master. Did the palace people already know of this matter?
The King of Cliffford and Eriponi, who watched the situation with bated breath alongside Bania, both gasped inwardly, and soon realized it.
‘The palace knows that Rutherford is connected to Count Ian. Rutherford’s primary sphere of activity right now is the manufacture and distribution of Idgal.’
Now it made sense. Why Ian had wanted to step down from his position as Minister of Magic. If the very head of the mages was connected to something that could threaten the mages’ well-being, how absurd would that be?
“Count Ian is connected to Idgal.”
The King of Cliffford and Eriponi whispered simultaneously, and both delegations stirred quietly once more. The Ministry of Magic had not simply hung red cloth and gone on strike for nothing. If Ian truly was connected to Idgal and, moreover, to Rutherford, it was absolutely grounds for dismissal.
“Was Idgal not used even in the rebellion? I heard that was the case.”
“I understand it to be so as well. Then did Count Ian create Idgal? Why on earth? When you’re destroying even existing magic-sealing stones.”
“In any case, the Imperial House seems to know everything.”
“They know, yet they opposed his resignation. And the person in question, Count Ian, seeks to step down from his position. Hmm.”
“That’s precisely it. The Prince is confident because he has seized hegemony, believing he can now position Count Ian beneath him and manipulate him accordingly.”
Speculation rippled through the envoy delegation. Most of it held merit, and a considerable portion aligned with reality. Though they dared not imagine the connection to the Imperial family that Damon had exposed.
“Your Highness.”
When Bania did not respond, I turned my back decisively. And I offered the Boy a smile first, signaling he could relax his expression.
What Rutherford desired was to stretch Damon’s lifeline as far as possible until his arrival. And to remind Ian, now established within the Imperial household, that he was returning—thereby rekindling their exclusive contractual relationship.
“If Rutherford is involved in consolidating Burgos’s forces, then Bariel must officially counter this.”
“On what grounds?”
Jin narrowed his eyes as he asked.
Naturally, it would be preferable to do so, but mobilizing troops required justification. Even if it meant reigniting a war they had just concluded, they needed clear grounds that the imperial people could accept.
Moreover, this concerned the morale of those who had recently returned home, so Jin pressed his temples lightly as if troubled.
“Wasn’t the distribution of Idgal during the Clipoford-Burgos war something Bariel couldn’t realistically regulate?”
If Clipoford had fallen, it was true that Bariel found it burdensome. But before that, how could Bariel possibly know of and intervene in the countless transactions occurring during wartime? During war, innumerable materials and goods moved explosively in all directions.
Moreover, Rutherford was not a merchant house belonging to Bariel, and neither Clipoford nor Burgos had any obligation to inform Bariel of Idgal distribution transactions.
If discovered, it would become a problem, but if undiscovered, they would gain the strength to oppose the Mages. There was no reason not to proceed.
‘Ruswena.’
Ruswena, who had succeeded in receiving supplies.
‘Clipoford.’
And Clipoford, who had failed and joined hands with Bariel.
Each time Jin’s gaze fell upon the kings, both bowed their heads. No one could know the weight of those bowed heads.
“What lack of grounds could there be, Your Highness? The wound you bear is that justification.”
Then, my voice awakened Jin’s focus.
Following my words, the Boy touched his chin. The edge of the sunken wound was vivid.
“Rebellion?”
“Yes. Someone mentioned it earlier as well. That Idgal was used in the rebellion within Bariel’s Imperial Palace is known throughout all of Gaia. No matter how merchants chase profit, supplying Idgal to the Imperial rebellion is a direct challenge to Bariel’s legitimacy—an act of treason.”
“I am aware of that. And thus….”
Thus, didn’t the Ministry of Magic analyze the Idgal and pursue Rutherford’s whereabouts? Jin pondered briefly why he was being reminded of this again.
But only briefly.
“-Thus, it becomes a problem.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The Boy grasped what I intended.
He had forgotten. Rutherford was not merely someone who threatened the Mages’ wellbeing, but one who had drawn a blade against Bariel itself.
In other words, if forces opposing the Empire took control of Burgos, that was something Bariel could not tolerate. Officially.
“A follower of Rutherford has even served as the envoy representative and come to Bariel, so there is no need for further explanation regarding Burgos’s situation. It is a border region, and Burgos is the primary nation that started the war. For one who participated in Bariel’s internal rebellion to seize control of that territory—this is intolerable.”
Jin waved his hand, indicating there was nothing more to say.
“I will deploy soldiers to the border regions. This is Bariel’s defensive posture, separate from the ceasefire agreement between Clipoford and Burgos. Does anyone object?”
Jin surveyed the officials. They stood firm and showed their support for the Prince’s will, and I likewise placed my hand over my chest, silently commending the wise decision.
“Then, returning to the main matter in connection with this: Burgos shall immediately disarm the soldiers owned by the royal palace and surrender the seals of the central nobility to Bariel. Should anyone refuse to comply, I will interpret it as collusion with Rutherford. The kingdom’s treasuries shall be opened to pay war reparations. Quintana.”
“Yes, Your Highness. This is the estimated damage assessment to Bariel from the war. It was submitted by Clipoford and has been judged to have no particular irregularities.”
Rustle.
Quintana rose briefly and recited the report. Compared to other wars, the duration was considerably short and the damage relatively minor, but the moment Clipoford’s ‘Rift Incident’ was included, the figures exploded exponentially.
“…Did I misread this?”
Eriponi’s brow furrowed as she examined the documents. How many zeros were attached to these numbers, anyway?
Eldetr shook his head briefly in response. The treasury of Ruswena alone could never bear such an amount. At this rate, negotiation was no longer a choice—it had become a necessity. They had no choice but to proceed through negotiation stages and somehow lower the price.
The moment Eriponi rose to lodge an immediate protest, the Ministry of Magic began distributing documents as if they had been waiting for this. I stepped forward slowly, passing by the delegations from Ruswena and Burgos.
“What we’re distributing now is the process for addressing the rift as anticipated by the Ministry of Magic. As you can see, much of the supporting data is from the past. Therefore, a survey schedule is absolutely necessary for more accurate calculations….”
The Mages’ eyes widened as they grasped the red bands hanging around their necks. Prince Jin similarly frowned, clearly displeased, so I took a step back.
“There are considerable difficulties in narrowing our differences. Therefore, it would be preferable if each nation dispatched Mages. Burgos and Ruswena—how many Mages currently belong to each royal palace?”
Eriponi’s lips trembled slightly. She knew the Mages had staged a massive rebellion, yet here he was, asking again in such an official setting. This was a clear provocation and an insult.
While Eriponi was considering an excuse, the King of Clipoford moved unexpectedly.
“Minister Ian.”
“Yes. Please speak.”
“There are omitted damages.”
“What specifically do you mean? Material damages, or—”
“Something far exceeding material value. The trust and faith of the royal palace.”
I smiled slightly and furrowed my brow.
In contrast, May beside me was visibly tense, knowing a bombshell was about to drop from the King’s lips.
“This rift has brought something akin to a curse upon the royal family. Clipoford seeks compensation for this as well.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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